TCU bounces back to end Baylor's home win streak

WACO -- The TCU football team, which has been through an emotional wringer the last 10 days after losing its quarterback, suffering its first loss of the season, and then dropping out of The Associated Press Top 25, had become an afterthought for many.

The Horned Frogs, however, showed Saturday night they are far from letting their first season in the Big 12 turn into a rebuilding year just yet.

TCU's defense intercepted Baylor quarterback Nick Florence four times and forced two fumbles, and the Frogs' offense outmatched the Bears' second-ranked offense in dominating fashion 49-21 in front of 42,524 at Floyd Casey Stadium.

The Frogs avenged a heartbreaking 50-48 loss a year ago at Baylor and capped another topsy-turvy day in the Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech upset No. 5 West Virginia 49-14 and No. 13 Oklahoma destroyed No. 15 Texas 63-21. Only No. 6 Kansas State, which escaped with a 27-21 win at Iowa State, remains unbeaten in the league.

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The Frogs (5-1, 2-1 in the Big 12) host Texas Tech (5-1, 2-1) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The game will be televised on WFAA/Ch. 8.

Baylor started the same way it did last year against TCU, with a long scoring pass, as Florence hit Terrance Williams for a 74-yard scoring strike on the second play from scrimmage.

But Trevone Boykin, making his second career start, regrouped after a three-interception game last week, to throw for 261 yards on 22 of 30 passing and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 56 yards and a score.

Boykin hit Cam White on touchdown passes of 18 and 15 yards in the first half. White shook off a tackle and ran it in on the second scoring pass to give the Frogs the lead for good. The score capped a 16-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 7:42 just before halftime.

"We didn't turn the ball over and there's a whole bunch of people who did a good job on offense," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "We're not going to get too excited about this win. It's a big win, but we've got Texas Tech next week. We're going to try to get to six wins and 3-1. If we can do it to Tech's defense then I'll be jumping up and down."

Boykin and the offense kept the pressure on, as he hit LaDarius Brown for a 43-yard scoring pass in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 21-7. After Baylor struck quickly to pull to within seven, TCU's offense went back to work and drained a season-long 7:44 off the clock over a 15-play, 74-yard drive capped by Josh Boyce's 2-yard run at the end of the third quarter.

Baylor quickly answered with Florence and Williams hooking up for another long scoring play from 77 yards to pull within 28-21 at the end of the third quarter.

But the TCU defense, which had just 10 interceptions all last season, now has 14 in six games this season. Jason Verrett, Chris Hackett, Kevin White and Sam Carter each came down with interceptions.

Carter's came with 9:11 left in the game and set the Frogs' offense up at the Baylor 44. Boykin, B.J. Catalon and Aundre Dean each took turns rushing the ball before Boykin scored on a 3-yard run to give the Frogs a 49-21 lead with 5:33 left in the game.

"You guys are acting like I didn't think we could win in the Big 12," Patterson said. "Tonight, I told them, they showed maturity. For a redshirt freshman to go on the road against a good Baylor team, I was excited about that."

Catalon rushed for 79 yards on 17 carries while Aundre Dean had 73 yards on 15 carries. Matthew Tucker, who did not play last week because of an injured ankle, rushed four times for 21 yards.

"It is very frustrating," Baylor coach Art Briles said. "It is very humiliating, not just to us, as coaches, but to our players also and to our university. We did not do a good job of showing up for Baylor tonight."